Walking into the office room, Lucrecia looked at the phone before finally sitting down and picked up the receiver. When she went to dial up the number, she did not hear a ring tone or any sound to indicate the phone even worked. She hit the receiver button several times and found it still did not work. 'Odd. I know this phone worked several days ago.'
Getting down on her hands and knees, she checked and found the phone was still plugged into the wall jack. Coming back to her feet, she went to the window and found the rain had not relented in its onslaught. There were rumors of a hard winter was expected by the locals. 'That is the last thing I wanted to hear.'
A month had already gone by since Gast had left and she had yet to hear anything back from the Professor. She knew though that in time, she would receive something to indicate he still existed. Gunfire broke outside followed by screams. Returning to the window, she looked out and could not see what was going on. All Lucrecia could hear was the cacophony of panic that rose from the town parameter.
Against her own best judgment, she left the small office to the front door of the mansion. Instinct drove her to step outside into the icy rain and past the gates where she found several men and a dead child laying in the rain. A few feet away laid an animal. A woman came running out and fell down over the child. The two men looked over at Lucrecia and frowned.
"Look at what your research has done!" The man gestured to the body of the child. The second man walked over to where the animal laid and kicked at it.
"This is the strangest dog I have ever seen, Guy! Come and look."
The first man who at addressed Lucrecia snarled. "I don't care, it's a monster all the same. We have lived peacefully for many years without such creatures, and now they back. Ever since those Shinra people came there has been some strange stuff."
Everyone looked up at her. Lucrecia swallowed.
"Maybe the Shirna people brought these things with them."
"Yeah".
Lucrecia's eyes drifted to the carcass and lingered. For a moment she swore she saw it's eyes glow violently red.
"Doctor?"
Lucrecia jerked out of her sleep and looked up to find Vincent stand at the front of the desk with his hand on her shoulder. Blinking she sat up and shook her head.
"I must have fallen asleep."
Vincent stood back and crossed his arms. "Apparently."
Lucrecia looked around trying swiftly to reorient herself. Ever since the night she had seen the fight out in the town square from the Inn window, Lucrecia had suffered from mild, repeating dreams, always focusing on the strange beast she never quite saw in whole. She just remembered the glowing red eyes.
"I still have some work to be done here, Mr. Valentine. Why don't you check back then?"
Vincent nodded and left Lucrecia to return to her work.
Hojo watched her move. Lucrecia shifted from the microscope to the other table where the spare trays and slides sat. 'Conception is a strange thing. Any more all you really need is a donor and a place for it to grow.' He would know soon enough, in a week or so. When that time came, he would be ready. Hojo glanced back down at his notebook that was filled with dates, numbers and records explaining both. 'I cannot afford another attempt. I could do it if it required, but the risk of her knowing would be increased tremendously. I doubt that will really be the issue just as long as the specimen is produced with the adequate amount of genetic variation required.'
Hojo's thoughts stopped when the Turk entered the lab still wearing his heavy black overcoat. 'That is the issue I need to attend to. He could destroy everything with a single trigger pull. I can't have that prodding Shinra dog do that.'
Lucrecia looked up and acknowledged the Turk's presence. "Just a moment, Mr. Valentine, I am just about ready. I need to finish writing this down." She continued to scribble down the notes.
Vincent turned to Hojo in time to catch the man glaring at him. "Sir?"
Hojo frowned and looked away. "Tell me that you have figured out what is going on with the monsters."
Vincent pulled out his black leather gloves from his pocket. "Nothing yet, sir."
Hojo snorted as though he had expected the response.
Lucrecia gathered up her folders and notes and followed after the Turk. She could not help but feel a pair of eyes watching her back as she left.
"I was hoping that I could talk to you." Vincent voiced from the doorway as Lucrecia set the reports down on the large, round table.
"Sure, we can talk." Lucrecia went to pull out the spare chair, but he stopped her.
"I was hoping we could go outside, if you don't mind. It looks like you could use the fresh air."
Lucrecia blinked and nodded. 'What is he up to?'
The sky was cleared up, allowing the sun to come through to warm the chilled, muddy ground. Mist rose up from the roofs and streets creating an almost surreal feeling. Lucrecia pulled tighter at her scarf as the cool air flushed any skin was the exposed to the air.
"The weather seems to be rather agreeable today." Lucrecia stated as she kept her hands into her pockets trying to keep them warm.
"Indeed." He seemed almost reserved despite the casual stride he walked with in his overcoat and suit.
They walked around until they reached the edge of town. "Remember how we would go out into the field and watch the sunsets? I really like that. It would be nice to go out there, but now..." Lucrecia offered with a tint of reminiscence. In the distance a dark shadow appeared in the faded grass before disappearing into the trees. One could only assume it was yet another monster that traversed the surrounding landscape.
"I know." He stood silent for a moment before mustering the courage to look at her. He turned and touched her face with his gloved hand. 'I have to do this. I don't want to, Lucrecia, but it is the best I can do for the both of us.' Vincent's hand linger as he looked at her face. Lucrecia smiled and then frowned seeing something darkening in his face.
"What's wrong?" She managed to ask. Lucrecia pulled her hands from her pockets and pulled his hand from his face. He held her bare hands behind his.
"We can't do this anymore, Lucrecia."
She blinked. "Wha? What are you talking about?"
Vincent's brown eyes looked away. " Don't be foolish. You know what I am talking about. We're too close, moving too fast. I fear if we continue, we will both struggle to do our jobs." His eyes drifted back at her. "It wouldn't be fair to you." Vincent fell silent. 'I love you too much to let this continue right now.'
Lucrecia searched his face trying to understand. It was then her face drained of color upon the realization of what he might be implying. Vincent was after all, a Turk. They were to protect the research secrets of Shinra, at any cost. Lucrecia frowned.
"You want to be able to kill me?"
Vincent blinked. Somehow their conversation was not going as well as he had hoped. He opened his mouth briefly but found nothing came out at first. Lucrecia pulled her hands away.
"They want to kill me?" She took a step away. Vincent shook his head.
"No, no! I have not been given orders to do such a thing..." He desperately tried to rescue the deteriorating situation, but it seemed it was too late.
Lucrecia closed her eyes as tried to fight the tears. "But you want to be able to do that if you had too..." Vincent tried to approach her and she waved him away. "Don't move! Don't touch me!" Pushing past him, she ran back toward the inn nearly in tears. Normally rejection of that sort only made her mildly upset, but this was bringing on the entire range of emotion including crying. 'Maybe Hojo was right...'
Vincent stood watching her run away. He allowed his head to drop. The warmth of the sunlight quickly faded as high clouds moved in slowly reclaiming the sky.
Climbing the stairs back to her room, she froze to find someone waiting near her door, seated on a simple wooden chair. Snuffling, she tried to wipe away the moisture at her eyes and face. The man looked up and frowned.
"Why Dr. Honestas, what is wrong?" Hojo stood up and straightened his coat. He carried a small item in his hands as he approached.
"Nothing, sir." Lucrecia mustered up enough strength to offer a smile. "What brings you here?"
Hojo held out the small plastic case that often carried samples. "You ran off so quickly, you forgot this."
Confused, Lucrecia received the case. "Thank you." 'I think.' She looked it over with a large amount of reservation.
"Those are the tissue samples from Jenova mutations. Jenova has been changing, but it is uncertain whether it is will lead to improvement or deterioration." Hojo offered.
Lucrecia looked at the case and sighed. She was still puzzled by Hojo's change in character. Part of her wondered what he wanted while other offered the simple saying that people change. 'But Hojo has always been the cold, egotistical, miserable man. The only thing he had love for was his research, and even then it seemed he even hated that.'
She walked past him and unlocked her door. "And, thank you, Doctor. I can take it from here."
Hojo stood silent for a moment. "The Turk has been bothering you again, hasn't he?"
Lucrecia paused in the doorway. "If there isn't anything else, Doctor?"
Hojo's mind raced trying to find another excuse before he was shut out. His little mouse was going to get away again. He reached out and placed his hand on her elbow. She froze.
"I may not be Gast." Hojo fought the habit of spitting the man's name while his words suddenly felt clumsy as he fumbled for the right phrase that might appeal to her. "But I offer my counsel and my shoulder if you need it."
Lucrecia bit her lips in frustration. She was growing more confused by the moment. Vincent claimed to care for her and yet pushed her away and the man she thought harbored so much contempt offered her comfort. Who could she trust anymore? What if Hojo was right about the Turk? Maybe Vincent is just playing games on her as he may have done with every other girl he has met with it.
'We're too close, moving too fast. I fear if we continue, we will both struggle to do our jobs.' His words hung so hallowed and empty in her ears and yet stung as though they were filled with venom. 'What would he know what would and would not affect my work?'
Seeing her defenses had suddenly fallen, Hojo took the intuitive and turned her around so Lucrecia's face could be seen. 'I cannot believe I am going to do this.' He placed his arms stiffly around her shoulders. At first he expected resistance, but she did not reject him. 'Ah, there is trouble in paradise huh? This will make my work much easier if you two are apart. Why else would you not fight this?' Hojo struggled to think what else to do since he was no accustom to such situations. He moved his hand and patted her shoulder.
He glanced up past Lucrecia's head to see someone stopped at the top of the stairs. Hojo smiled at the Turk before returning his attention to Gast's assistant.
Vincent stood watching them stand in the hallway hugging. Just moments before she had been on the verge of hitting him and now it seemed she found another who offered the affection he had once gave her. ' Of all people, why Hojo? I thought you despised him, Lucrecia. The way you spoke of him...' Vincent looked down at his shoes. He could not help but to feel that he started it all by pushing her away.
'Perhaps this is for the best. I know she will be safe and out of harm, never mind it is with Hojo.' It was foolish of him to chase after especially after what he had told her outside. He brought this upon himself. Disgusted and broken hearted, Vincent turned and walked back down the stairs. 'If she is happy then... I don't mind.'
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Author's note: Yes, this is first of the required scenes in the story. You must forgive me for changing the location of where Lucrecia and Hojo are found holding each other. It did not make much sense to have them out in the open with how I have everything set up. It made a little more sense to place it near her room. I pray you will forgive me for that.